Things you can do to save on energy cost

With the ever increasing energy costs, it has become the need of time to actively take steps that would contain energy bills to some extent. Energy conservation serves dual purposes – materialistically it is about reducing the costs and then there’s the larger cause of conserving the natural resources.
Big corporates implement specialists for this purpose which is not always feasible for small setups or single residential units. However, there are a number of measures homeowners can adopt to reduce their energy consumption significantly without sacrificing their comforts and without spending too much money!Here are some pointers:

– Replace incandescent bulbs with either CF’s (Compact Fluorescents) or LEDs (Light Emitting Diodes)
– You can reduce energy consumption by keeping your electronics and appliances like TV’s, microwave, toasters, chargers etc. completely unplugged and most importantly avoiding standby mode for PC’s or laptop’s when not in use.
– Bring in fresh air whenever you can. Avoid use of air-conditioners unless it is really required. You will also feel healthy by breathing in the fresh air!
– Switch off the water heater when not in use.
– Ensure that the washing machine or dishwasher is fully loaded.
– Use appliances smartly e.g. A toaster consumes lesser energy than a large-sized oven.
– Clean the appliances frequently to keep up their performance to optimum. Service the larger appliances annually at least.
– Turn off the lights, fans or AC’s in rooms that are not occupied. It’s a very basic habit that goes a long way in saving energy.
– If you are planning to buy new appliances go for the ones with energy star ratings. New technologies come with many energy saving features.
– Install solar thermal heating systems if it is possible. The installation costs are on a higher side but the cumulative savings on cost and energy are worth it.

These are some of the basic things you could do to save on the mounting energy bills and contribute in a small way towards reducing our carbon footprint. They are simple and doable! Ultimately it is all about the little things that matter, isn’t it?